Nearly 100 former US diplomats, intelligence officials, and national security experts have called for Senate leaders to hold closed-door hearings to assess Tulsi Gabbard’s qualifications as Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
The bipartisan group expressed alarm over Gabbard’s past actions, including her controversial 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and statements aligning with Russian narratives on Middle East and Ukraine conflicts. They argue these raise doubts about her ability to provide unbiased intelligence briefings.
The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader John Thune, urged a full review of her record to protect U.S. intelligence sources and methods.
A spokesperson for Gabbard dismissed the concerns as partisan attacks, while current DNI Avril Haines emphasized the importance of maintaining intelligence-sharing alliances like the Five Eyes, expressing hope for their continuity under the next administration.
